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Joined: Jan 2002
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Celt1 Offline OP
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AS you all know there have been quite a lot of extra wait time and communication problems with HD Rifles.
We are sincerely sorry for the problems at hand.
This is why I am posting and emailing this and why HD Rifles is undergoing a major restructuring.

As you all probably know there is no problem with the quality of or rifles or services, I.E. gun work. In fact, our rifles are as good as any on the planet period.

The problem is while Clay and I can build a rifle that equals any rifle anywhere, we are not business managers Plain and simple.

This is why we have decided to completely restructure HD Rifles.

Here is some of the stuff that is happening.

Clay and I are willingly and very happily stepping down from trying to manage the place. We know what are strengths and weaknesses are and we are best left to build rifles and do R&D.

The business and build scheduling will be taken care of by a new business partner. The new partner has a master degree in business and is superbly organized. This will get the ball rolling on everything.

A new larger and much more efficient office is being made right now, in fact we now have the building next to us in which the new office will be in as well as our coating and inventory. The building is secured and will be getting outfitted and filled with stuff very soon.

Soon you will reach a person in the office when you call to make orders or check on a gun you have here. Clay and I will be in the shop knocking out jobs and not be available most of the time.

We are also changing the rifles we build. Once we get all the back log out (which we will) we will be offering probably 6 rifle packages in whatever color / camo scheme that we offer of your choice. The rifles will be pre built on a shelf with only final coating and painting needed. This will get you rifles in a couple weeks.
These rifles will be on Remington M-700 actions and a bit later our own new actions.

I will still do a full blown custom rifle now and then, but only when I know I can have the time to fit it in. These rifles will be done 100% by me from start to finish. No one else will lay a hand on it period.

The down side to this restructuring is that it will cause a further delay by approximately 4 weeks while go through everything and get it done.
People, your rifles will get done and they will be perfect as we have always strived to make them.
We are not closing our doors or anything of that nature. We are only trying to better serve you period.

You may have noticed that our phone says it is disconnected. It is, but by mistake. We are trying to move phone lines to the new office as well as trying to hook up the phone lines through a computer so we can use the cable internet as our long distance carrier. I have also shut down a couple of our many phone lines that we got last year. We could not get messages because the phone would ring down. Either myself or the phone company got the wrong lines turned off and I am trying to remedy this by today or tomorrow.
For now please call my cell number but only until 5:00 PM central time please.

Thanks. I will have the rifle packages that we will be doing up on our website and posted soon. We do have a new website. I have been working on it and can update it from the office here. The old website I could not update so I had to email and call to get it updated and took precious time we didn�t have to spare.
The old website is now defunct although it is still up for the time being.
The new website address is
www.hdrifles.net

One other thing that has helped to cause extra delays is that when we got bottle necked and delays where created allot of people got very impatient. People in turn put stuff up like bashing on the net. This also takes time away from production and causes further delays.
It causes further delays by us having to take time to reply on the net to defend and explain as well as loss of business. Loss of business causes delays because we depend on the cash flow for parts and extra labor to get the back log out.

Anyone that is worried about us going down or anything similar are invited to come to the shop to see that we are very much alive and kicking. We are not going out of business, in fact we do not have a bunch of creditors breathing down our necks either.

Jeff �Celt� Hicks

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Jeff, Wish You the best there will always be a high demand for a quality product. As a former Eagle passoan I've followed your posts over theyears with intrest. If the pressure gets too much too much stop by Doc Holidays and have a Margurita for me. Warmest regards......Essex

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Will you be offering any hunting rifle packages or only tactical rifles?

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As one of those long sufferers waiting for the finished product, I continue to be patient, chosing to put this into perspective.......it's not like cancer, etc. With that said, I'm glad that I wasn't counting on the rifle in question for that hunt of a lifetime.
Doc (Don Browning)

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FWIW, I think that you are doing exactly the right thing; communicate, communicate, and communicate some more! A disconnected telephone is enough to put most folks' anxiety levels into orbit, mine included, but knowing what's going on helps to keep the negative "what ifs" from taking control of common sense.

Good luck with your reorganization!

Jeff

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Jeff,
Best to you on your restructuring...

I'll only comment that I've yet to come across a "perfect" custom rifle from you or anyone else. Though some come closer than others...

Regards, Matt.


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Good to know you are going thru growing pains! That can only be good for you and your customers<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I too am interested in hearing more about hunting rifles and the "new" action you mentioned.

Regards,
Mike

P.S You may want to update your signature line to the new URL address.

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Hold Fast Jeff.

Get your restructuring done right and get on with making the rifles. I'll be checking in on the new site to see the new action.


Mac
aka
Joe McLeod RPD - Still loving the 300WM ya made for me.


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Jeff - I have seen some of that bashing and I know its wrong. I visited bout 9 months ago maybe - went with a friend and he had his Rem 700 PSS bedded, recrowned, painted and a muzzle break. Don T. was the name - I believe he has another rifle there now a 300 WM IIRC.

I can say this - you guys are class acts treated us better than anyother place I've ever visited. I was and Don continues to be MUCHO impressed.

I hope to see you guys soon when Don picks up his other rifle and wish you the best in the restructure.


Me



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This type of communication will ease some of the pressure while you restructure as well as keeping your reputation from
going down the tubes like a couple of big name 'smiths have in the last couple of years.

Making the commitment to the business side of your craft will keep you in the forefront of your profession for the long haul instead of being one of the "That guy really made some great rifles, I wonder what happened" guys. Best of luck, Bruce


"The Bigger the Government, the Smaller the Citizen" - Dennis Prager LINK

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Just let us know when you are ready and we will send you more work. Everybody is happy about your growth.

Thanks for doing it right

Richard


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Boy can I relate. Fortunately for me I had a very long learning curve, over about 15 years. But even today, there are so many things, like staying in touch with customers and potential customers via the internet, that take so much time that unless you are prepared for them, it can suck you dry.

If there is anything I can do personally or professionally guys, please don't hesitate to ask. I'd love to be able to help you guys through this trying time.


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you go, jeff. Joshua 1:9. John 14:1


abiding in Him,

><>fish30ought6<><
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Celt1 Offline OP
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Thanks everyone for your understanding and support.
We are working on this right this moment. It will not happen overnight, as there is allot or work for our new partner to do.

I would once again like to apologize for the wait times and deffered delivery dates now and in the past.

It was much simpler when I was just a one man shop doing a couple rifles a month.

Celt

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Celt, you have my wishes for success in this new venture. I have many times thought of renting a shop and creating a home for wayward gunsmiths. Take away the bs with customers, phones, paperwork, parts ordering and those looking for freebie advice and a gunsmith might just make a decent living. Ward

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My father always said, "There are two kinds of gunsmiths, poor ones and crooked ones." Of course those are true gunsmiths that try to make a living out of repairing guns. Building rifles ia a different matter, thoung rarely to guys get rich in this business.


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Didn't know of any problems myself, but am glad to hear that business is booming!

Maybe someday, if I'm lucky, you venture into the 'dark side.' <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />


Brian

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Good luck!
Bad managing has killed off more gunsmith businesses than bad work. Fact.
Seems smithys are too much of artists and mechanics than pencil pushing geeks. Good luck, really.


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Good Luck and God Speed! BMT


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Jeff,

I am glad I got to you before you got "big". The 338 Win you built is still my "go to" rifle.

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